Philippians 1:7

1:7 For ¹  it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, ²  since both in my imprisonment ³  and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace ⁴  together with me.

Romans 1:13-17

1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, ⁵  brothers and sisters, ⁶  that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. ⁷  1:14 I am a debtor ⁸  both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:15 Thus I am eager ⁹  also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. ¹⁰ 

The Power of the Gospel

1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹  1:17 For the righteousness ¹²  of God is revealed in the gospel ¹³  from faith to faith, ¹⁴  just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.” ¹⁵ 

Romans 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ¹⁶  a slave ¹⁷  of Christ Jesus, ¹⁸  called to be an apostle, ¹⁹  set apart for the gospel of God. ²⁰ 

Colossians 1:16-17

1:16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, ²¹  whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.

1:17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together ²²  in him.

Galatians 2:7-8

2:7 On the contrary, when they saw ²³  that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised ²⁴  just as Peter was to the circumcised ²⁵  2:8 (for he who empowered ²⁶  Peter for his apostleship ²⁷  to the circumcised ²⁸  also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles) ²⁹ 

Galatians 2:1

Confirmation from the Jerusalem Apostles

2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem ³⁰  again with Barnabas, taking Titus along too.

Galatians 2:7

2:7 On the contrary, when they saw ³¹  that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised ³²  just as Peter was to the circumcised ³³ 

Galatians 2:2

2:2 I went there ³⁴  because of ³⁵  a revelation and presented ³⁶  to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so ³⁷  only in a private meeting with the influential people, ³⁸  to make sure that I was not running – or had not run ³⁹  – in vain.

Galatians 1:11-12

Paul’s Vindication of His Apostleship

1:11 Now ⁴⁰  I want you to know, brothers and sisters, ⁴¹  that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ⁴²  1:12 For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; ⁴³  instead I received it ⁴⁴  by a revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁴⁵ 

Galatians 4:6-7

4:6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls ⁴⁶  “Abba! ⁴⁷  Father!” 4:7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are ⁴⁸  a son, then you are also an heir through God. ⁴⁹ 

Luke 21:14

21:14 Therefore be resolved ⁵⁰  not to rehearse ⁵¹  ahead of time how to make your defense.

Acts 22:1

Paul’s Defense

22:1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense ⁵²  that I now ⁵³  make to you.”

Acts 26:1

Paul Offers His Defense

26:1 So Agrippa ⁵⁴  said to Paul, “You have permission ⁵⁵  to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ⁵⁶  and began his defense: ⁵⁷ 

Acts 26:24

26:24 As Paul ⁵⁸  was saying these things in his defense, Festus ⁵⁹  exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ⁶⁰  Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

Acts 26:2

26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ⁶¹  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

Acts 4:16

4:16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain ⁶²  to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign ⁶³  has come about through them, ⁶⁴  and we cannot deny it.

[1:7]  ¹ tn Grk “Just as.” The sense here is probably, “So I give thanks (v. 3) just as it is right for me…”

[1:7]  ² tn Or possibly “because you have me in your heart.”

[1:7]  ³ tn Grk “in my bonds.” The meaning “imprisonment” derives from a figurative extension of the literal meaning (“bonds,” “fetters,” “chains”), L&N 37.115.

[1:7]  ⁴ tn The word “God’s” is supplied from the context (v. 2) to clarify the meaning.

[1:13]  ⁵ sn The expression “I do not want you to be unaware [Grk ignorant]” also occurs in 1 Cor 10:1; 12:1; 1 Thess 4:13. Paul uses the phrase to signal that he is about to say something very important.

[1:13]  ⁶ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

[1:13]  ⁷ tn Grk “in order that I might have some fruit also among you just as also among the rest of the Gentiles.”

[1:14]  ⁸ tn Or “obligated.”

[1:15]  ⁹ tn Or “willing, ready”; Grk “so my eagerness [is] to preach…” The word πρόθυμος (proqumo", “eager, willing”) is used only elsewhere in the NT in Matt 26:41 = Mark 14:38: “the spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak.”

[1:15]  ¹⁰ map For location see JP4 A1.

[1:16]  ¹¹ sn Here the Greek refers to anyone who is not Jewish.

[1:17]  ¹² tn The nature of the “righteousness” described here and the force of the genitive θεοῦ (“of God”) which follows have been much debated. (1) Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:98) understand “righteousness” to refer to the righteous status given to believers as a result of God’s justifying activity, and see the genitive “of God” as a genitive of source (= “from God”). (2) Others see the “righteousness” as God’s act or declaration that makes righteous (i.e., justifies) those who turn to him in faith, taking the genitive “of God” as a subjective genitive (see E. Käsemann, Romans, 25-30). (3) Still others see the “righteousness of God” mentioned here as the attribute of God himself, understanding the genitive “of God” as a possessive genitive (“God’s righteousness”).

[1:17]  ¹³ tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the gospel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ¹⁴ tn Or “by faith for faith,” or “by faith to faith.” There are many interpretations of the phrase ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν (ek pistew" ei" pistin). It may have the idea that this righteousness is obtained by faith (ἐκ πίστεως) because it was designed for faith (εἰς πίστιν). For a summary see J. Murray, Romans (NICNT), 1:363-74.

[1:17]  ¹⁵ sn A quotation from Hab 2:4.

[1:1]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ¹⁷ tn Traditionally, “servant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ¹⁸ tc Many important mss, as well as several others (̲⁶ א A G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï), have a reversed order of these words and read “Jesus Christ” rather than “Christ Jesus” (̹⁰ B 81 pc). The meaning is not affected in either case, but the reading “Christ Jesus” is preferred as slightly more difficult and thus more likely the original (a scribe who found it would be prone to change it to the more common expression). At the same time, Paul is fond of the order “Christ Jesus,” especially in certain letters such as Romans, Galatians, and Philippians. As well, the later Pauline letters almost uniformly use this order in the salutations. A decision is difficult, but “Christ Jesus” is slightly preferred.

[1:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “a called apostle.”

[1:1]  ²⁰ tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.

[1:16]  ²¹ tn BDAG 579 s.v. κυριότης 3 suggests “bearers of the ruling powers, dominions” here.

[1:17]  ²² tn BDAG 973 s.v. συνίστημι B.3 suggests “continue, endure, exist, hold together” here.

[2:7]  ²³ tn The participle ἰδόντες (idontes) has been taken temporally to retain the structure of the passage. Many modern translations, because of the length of the sentence here, translate this participle as a finite verb and break the Greek sentences into several English sentences (NIV, for example, begins new sentences at the beginning of both vv. 8 and 9).

[2:7]  ²⁴ tn Grk “to the uncircumcision,” that is, to the Gentiles.

[2:7]  ²⁵ tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.

[2:8]  ²⁶ tn Or “worked through”; the same word is also used in relation to Paul later in this verse.

[2:8]  ²⁷ tn Or “his ministry as an apostle.”

[2:8]  ²⁸ tn Grk “to the circumcision,” i.e., the Jewish people.

[2:8]  ²⁹ tn Grk “also empowered me to the Gentiles.”

[2:1]  ³⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:7]  ³¹ tn The participle ἰδόντες (idontes) has been taken temporally to retain the structure of the passage. Many modern translations, because of the length of the sentence here, translate this participle as a finite verb and break the Greek sentences into several English sentences (NIV, for example, begins new sentences at the beginning of both vv. 8 and 9).

[2:7]  ³² tn Grk “to the uncircumcision,” that is, to the Gentiles.

[2:7]  ³³ tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.

[2:2]  ³⁴ tn Grk “I went up”; one always spoke idiomatically of going “up” to Jerusalem.

[2:2]  ³⁵ tn Or “in accordance with.” According to BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.5.a.δ, “Oft. the norm is at the same time the reason, so that in accordance with and because of are merged…Instead of ‘in accordance w.’ κ. can mean simply because of, as a result of, on the basis of…κ. ἀποκάλυψιν Gal 2:2.”

[2:2]  ³⁶ tn Or “set before them.”

[2:2]  ³⁷ tn Grk “Gentiles, but only privately…to make sure.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with “But” and the words “I did so,” an implied repetition from the previous clause, were supplied to make a complete English sentence.

[2:2]  ³⁸ tn L&N 87.42 has “important persons, influential persons, prominent persons” for οἱ δοκοῦντες and translates this phrase in Gal 2:2 as “in a private meeting with the prominent persons.” The “prominent people” referred to here are the leaders of the Jerusalem church.

[2:2]  ³⁹ tn Here the first verb (τρέχω, trecw, “was not running”) is present subjunctive, while the second (ἔδραμον, edramon, “had not run”) is aorist indicative.

[1:11]  ⁴⁰ tc ‡ The conjunction δέ (de) is found in Ì⁴⁶ א*^,2 A D¹ Ψ 1739 1881 Ï sy bo, while γάρ (gar) is the conjunction of choice in א¹ B D*^,c F G 33 pc lat sa. There are thus good representatives on each side. Scribes generally tended to prefer γάρ in such instances, most likely because it was more forceful and explicit. γάρ is thus seen as a motivated reading. For this reason, δέ is preferred.

[1:11]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

[1:11]  ⁴² tn Grk “is not according to man.”

[1:12]  ⁴³ tn Or “I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it.”

[1:12]  ⁴⁴ tn The words “I received it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

[1:12]  ⁴⁵ tn It is difficult to determine what kind of genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Ihsou Cristou) is. If it is a subjective genitive, the meaning is “a revelation from Jesus Christ” but if objective genitive, it is “a revelation about Jesus Christ.” Most likely this is objective since the explanation in vv. 15-16 mentions God revealing the Son to Paul so that he might preach, although the idea of a direct revelation to Paul at some point cannot be ruled out.

[4:6]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “calling.” The participle is neuter indicating that the Spirit is the one who calls.

[4:6]  ⁴⁷ tn The term “Abba” is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic אַבָּא (’abba’), literally meaning “my father” but taken over simply as “father,” used in prayer and in the family circle, and later taken over by the early Greek-speaking Christians (BDAG 1 s.v. ἀββα).

[4:7]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “and if a son, then also an heir.” The words “you are” have been supplied twice to clarify the statement.

[4:7]  ⁴⁹ tc The unusual expression διὰ θεοῦ (dia qeou, “through God”) certainly prompted scribes to alter it to more customary or theologically acceptable ones such as διὰ θεόν (dia qeon, “because of God”; F G 1881 pc), διὰ Χριστοῦ (dia Cristou, “through Christ”; 81 630 pc sa), διὰ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (dia Ihsou Cristou, “through Jesus Christ”; 1739^c), θεοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ (“[an heir] of God through Christ”; א² C³ D [P] 0278 [6 326 1505] Ï ar sy), or κληρονόμος μὲν θεοῦ, συγκληρονόμος δὲ Χριστοῦ (klhronomo" men qeou, sugklhronomo" de Cristou, “an heir of God, and fellow-heir with Christ”; Ψ pc [cf. Rom 8:17]). Although it is unusual for Paul to speak of God as an intermediate agent, it is not unprecedented (cf. Gal 1:1; 1 Cor 1:9). Nevertheless, Gal 4:7 is the most direct statement to this effect. Further testimony on behalf of διὰ θεοῦ is to be found in external evidence: The witnesses with this phrase are among the most important in the NT (Ì⁴⁶ א* A B C* 33 1739*^vid lat bo Cl).

[21:14]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “determine in your hearts.”

[21:14]  ⁵¹ tn This term could refer to rehearsing a speech or a dance. On its syntax, see BDF §392.2.

[22:1]  ⁵² sn Listen to my defense. This is the first of several speeches Paul would make in his own defense: Acts 24:10ff.; 25:8, 16; and 26:1ff. For the use of such a speech (“apologia”) in Greek, see Josephus, Ag. Ap. 2.15 [2.147]; Wis 6:10.

[22:1]  ⁵³ tn The adverb νυνί (nuni, “now”) is connected with the phrase τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας (th" pro" Juma" nuni apologia") rather than the verb ἀκούσατε (akousate), and the entire construction (prepositional phrase plus adverb) is in first attributive position and thus translated into English by a relative clause.

[26:1]  ⁵⁴ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:1]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”

[26:1]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).

[26:1]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”

[26:24]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:24]  ⁵⁹ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:24]  ⁶⁰ tn On the term translated “lost your mind” see BDAG 610 s.v. μαίνομαι, which has “you’re out of your mind, you’re raving, said to one whose enthusiasm seems to have outrun better judgment 26:24.”

[26:2]  ⁶¹ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[4:16]  ⁶² tn Or “evident.”

[4:16]  ⁶³ tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.

[4:16]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “has been done by them.”